Rear Trailing Arm Bushings DIY tips & suggestions?!

put some anti-seize on the outside of the bushing as well, clamp it, and use the MIS tool to pull the bushing back into the trailing arm

So clamp the rubber exterior and part of the metal http://www.turnermotorsport.com/imag...on_rcab_lg.jpg ? Then that should help me get it about half way in? If so, afterwards, would I use the MIS tool in the reverse order that I took it off?

Also, do I remove the clamp once it's halfway in? Or leave it then use the MIS tool and the clamp will remove automatically (pop/slide off)?

clamp the rtab so the two half-circle metal part comes together, then put the bushing on the other side of the trailing arm and use the MIS tool to pull the bushing in. The longer you keep the clamp on the easier it will be to get the bushing in, but I would not wait for the clamp to pop off because it could catch on some wires and rip them out.

I just bought two clamps from auto parts. Lunch's ready so I'm about to eat, a well needed break. But it sounds simple, I'm going to put the clamp in the middle and tighten it. When you say "put the bushing on the other side of the trailing arm" do you mean from the inside or the outside? From the inside pushing towards the exterior of the car, or from the exterior pushing it in towards the car. If you skip to 4:10 that would be what I consider putting the bushing in from the outside.

If it is from the outside though would I have the put the rtab also on the outside because it's going to be nearly impossible placing it on the inside to pull from there.

to install the new bushing, the bushings goes in from the outside (beveled edge), the RTAB tool goes on the inside. Use the "bigger" block to pull the bushing inside the trailing arm.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I'm tackling this and FCABs in a few weeks.

Well, I have the car on stands and put everything back in the garage. Won't be able to attempt again until thursday.

So bushing goes in from the outside, in reference to this picture that would mean from left to right, correct? (http://home.comcast.net/~fmzip/BMW/P1010033.JPG).

The tool will go on the other side, so the opposite from where it is in that same picture.

Lastly, does the "bigger block" go in after the bushing on the outside and then I tighten to pull the bushing in?

The new bushing goes in the same way the old bushing came out. The MIS tool is always "pulling" the bushing towards the tool.

To remove the bushing use the smaller round block so the bushing can be pulled out, with the smaller round block passing through where the bushing was installed.

To install the bushing use the larger square block so the bushing can be pulled in, with the larger square block eventually hitting the RTA indicating the bushing is pulled into the correct position.

The new design of the RTABs means you can install them in either direction, whichever is easiest for you to use the MIS tool.

Originally Posted by taylor192

To install the bushing use the larger square block so the bushing can be pulled in, with the larger square block eventually hitting the RTA indicating the bushing is pulled into the correct position.

put the bushing towards the inside of the car and use the MIS tool to pull it into the trailing arm, that was the easiest way for me to do it.

Installing oem bushing in is nearly impossible.

Originally Posted by justanotherone

Installing oem bushing in is nearly impossible.

Come on dude, it cannot be that bad.

Did you clamp the RTAB to make it smaller?
Did you clean the RTA to ensure the RTAB slides in?
Did you put the tool on the outside of the car, the bushing on the inside?

You could always try sanding the edges of the RTAB and RTA to create a bevel to help get the RTAB started.

just have a shop do it if its causing too much headache.. its not that much

Clean out the RTA, and put anti-seize on the outside of the bushing will make it easier. There's a beveled edge on both sides of the bushing to get in seated in the RTA easier, that in conjunction with clamping the bushing and using the MIS tool to pull the bushing into the RTA will get it in there.

Lol, thanks for the words of encouragement.

Well, the only way I can get part of the bushing in (yes, even when clamped) is from the outside. But then fitting the MIS tool on the inside, without being able to lower the arm more and having minimal space to maneuver on the ground with jacks and performing this solo makes it highly improbable. It would no doubt be much simpler to put the bushing in from the inside and then pulling it from there, but it doesn't go in, not even a small fraction.

Nonetheless, I tried putting the bushing on the inside (even without a portion of it being in the trailing arm) and placing the bigger block behind it then pulling it in using the MIS tool. Didn't really work out, probably because since a portion of the bushing wasn't in the arm so it couldn't really be directed in.

As a last resort, I've called back up. My parents' friend whose a mechanic will be coming to my rescue sometime Sat or Sun. He's the one who changed my clutch (R.i.p. to that clutch) so I feel confident he can be of assistance. I'm not entirely sure if he's familiar with bushings, but hopefully he can help. Whenever he does come, I'll make sure to WD 40 the ish out of the arm and bushing before trying to put it in. Until then I'll be driving this soccer mom van to school, besides I hear girls like guys who have a familial sense .

If all else fails, let's hope it doesn't get to that, but if all else does fail it will be going the shop. Will harm be done if the car is drive to shop with one of the rear trailing arms missing a bushing?

I'll most likely report back this weekend, maybe later but let's hope not, with whether I got it done or took it to the shop.

But really, in all seriousness, I sincerely appreciate all the help and support you guys have given and continue to give me without getting annoyed or giving up on me. Thank you bros!!

There's no way you can drive it to a shop without a bushing, you'll ruin the RTA or RTA bushing enclosure, or both.

Just to confirm, when installing the RTAB you should have the MIS tool setup exactly like below, with the bushing on the side with the square block. Then pull the bushing into the RTA. It sounds like you're trying to pull the RTAB on an angle cause you don't have enough room to work. If you need more room to work disconnect the lower bolt on the shock.

That said, I agree with above that you've bitten off more than you can chew. Its time to let a professional tackle this to ensure its done properly.

i found it easier to do the reverse, had the mis tool on the inside of the car - since the beveled edge on the outside was easier to pull the bushing through. there was more than enough room.

As promised, here's the update. I couldn't do it, ended up driving it to the shop, apparently I fked up my control arm and some other spring crap.. I kid I kid lol.

So, this guy finally decided to show like an hr and a half ago. I'm ready to go get this done, but he was more into chit chatting with my mom. Then after a bit we get out there, I show him the bushings, the arm, where the bushing goes, blah blah blah, the tool. Not so long story short, he put in the bushing through the outside (it seems like the outside whole was more hollow, hence an easier fitting for the bushing). Then we placed the MIS tool on the inside and my job was pretty much to pull the control arm down and did some tightening while he made sure the bushing was still centered. After couple of minutes the bushing easily went in. We did all this using a light since it was dark out, and after he inserted the bushing, left me to put everything back together in the morning. I guess he assumes I can do the other side since I saw how he did it. But, whatever. Only thing I'm sort of worried about, seems to me the bushing might be in a little too much (I'll post a pic in a bit).

Things I would advise for this job: MIS tool, a 2nd hand, an impact gun. These things make things much more easier. A lift would obviously make things even easier, but I don't know anyone who can has one readily at they're disposal. If I think of anything else I used or could have used to make things easier, I'll update.

Is the bushing in to much, I feel like it's not centered and I should push it to right some.

you want both sides to be as equal as possible. also, it has to be installed in with the split facing up/down per the TIS. not sure if it really makes a difference, but i had to reinstall mine to do this.

So I used the MIS tool to center that bushing pictured on my former reply/comment. Re-bolting the shock was a pain. Raising the control arm back up using a jack and directing the assembly back onto the car was also a pain. Tried my best to get close to get it even close to the outline I did earlier, got it to be close enough for my liking. Plugged the two cables back in (tire pressure, and brake line I believe) and used my black cable ties lol. Put tire back on, lowered car. Right side complete. (Or at least I thought).

Raised left side, took tire off and repeated the same thing I did on the passenger side. Only difference is there was only one line on that control arm and instead of removing that little shield and unplugging it from there it's easier to use a torx head and remove it where it's located at on the brake assembly. After many scratches, a lot of man-handling, couple hours and frustration moments later everything was back together with the new bushing in and the baby back on the ground. At this point I'm feeling like the man .

Annnnd this is where the bad news comes in. I wash up before taking the car for a test drive, cause your hands, legs, clothes, etc. are going to be dirty as hell. So feeling fresh I get in the car, start it, start driving, look in my dashboard, ABS light is yellow and brake light is red. At this point I cursed out so many things in my head. Turn car off and and on a couple times to see if the lights would magically go off, but no luck.

Eventually, I pull back into my driveway to see if a cable wasn't all the way in on the passenger side, cause I unplugged them from inside that little black box. So I raise the car, remove the wheel and it did seem that the lighter cable, gray one, wasn't all the way in. So I re-did that and while on stands tried to see if the lights were still on. Get in the car, put the key on the "on" position, Brake light still red and ABS light still yellow. I start the car, same thing. I turn off the car and walk back over to those sensors, I do some blowing and dusting then re-plug them and go back in the car, both lights still on. At this point I figure I really must have impaired one if not both lines in some way or another. Again, I go over there make sure the cable ties aren't too tight (even replaced them) and did some more dusting and blowing and re-pluuged them in then checked the lights again. They were still on so I just put the tire back on and lowered the car. I then go to drive the car wanting to see if my brakes wouldn't work as they did before, and within a few seconds after pulling out of my driveway the ABS light goes off and a bit after that the brake light goes off. Almost cried tears of joy, was already contemplating repair cost.

Had my alignment done this morning, only drove to school haven't gotten a chance to really test it. But I definitely don't feel the loose back end that I did before while changing lanes. Can't wait to see how the baby handles in the rain now. Also, my alignment was completely out of whack from the print-out. So definitely get an alignment if you ever do this. Make sure you have a helping hand makes things like 20x easier, someone to push down the arm especially.